Bowling game



F. P. PYURDY.

BOWLINGy GAME.

` APPLIQATION FILED, FEB,I 24. |919. 1,329,254. Patented Jan. 27,1920

F. P. PURDY.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mm M n m m B .H Q A F. P. PURDY.

BOWLING GAME. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. ISIS.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FRED P. PURDY, OF SHARON, TJIASSACHUSETTS.

BOWLING GAME.

Application filed February 2li, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRED l). Polini', a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Sharon, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Bowling Games, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to bowling games.

One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a simple, cheap outdoor game which may be set up on the lawn and afford an interesting gamel and healthful exercise. This game will be particularly appreciated by persons who have limited time for exercise and recreation, since it can be quickly and easily installed on the lawn near the home where it is conveniently accessible for use when desired.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a bowling game which requires no attendant to set up pins and return balls to players, and avoids delay heretofore occurring in returning the balls to the players.

And still another purpose is to provide a game, the parts of which may be packed in a small space for shipment and storage.

With the aforesaid and other objects in view, the character of the invention will be best understood by reference to the following description of one good form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game;

Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale is a perspective view of a portion of one of the pin carrying frames;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section showing the positions of the pins and the resetting device when the pins are upset;

Fig. t is a similar view showing a position assumed by the resetting device in setting up the pins;

'Fig- 5 is a plan of a portion of the pin carrying frame with the resetting device folded over against the pins to occupy a small space .When packed;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

sen-a1 No. 278,576.

Fig. G is a transverse section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, the game shown therein as one good form of the invention comprises a pair of frames carrying sets of pins and adapted to face each other in odset or staggered relation with a bowling space between them, as will be noted in Fig. l. Since the apparatus at the opposite ends of the bowling space is similar, a description of one will sullice for both. This apparatus, in the present instance of the invention, comprises a frame or support of any appropriate form for the purposes, and conveniently consists of a pair of end stands l having wide feet 3 and pointed posts 5 or other appropriate means to anchor the stands to the ground. These stands are connected by a bridge bar 7 carrying a set of pins- 9 which may be connected by hinges l1 to said bar and depend therefrom. When the pins are set up they occupy upright positions such as shown in Figs. 2 and l, but when they are upset by the bowling` balls 13. they swing` backward and upward to horizontal positions, as will be noted in 3. Suitable means may be provided to yieldingly hold the pins in their set-up and upset positions. In the present instance, this means comprises a series of coil springs 15 having ends connected to eyes 17 secured to the sides of the pins, and opposite ends connected to eyes 19 secured to the bridge bar 7, the latter being preferably provided with recesses 2l to accommodate the springs. l/Vhen the pins are rocked to their set-up positions, the coil springs will be stretched or tensioned, and since the eyes 17V are o'set somewhat from the axial line of the hinges l1, they will hold the upper ends of the pins against the lower edge of the bridge bar and properly maintain the pins in set-up positions. lVhen, however, the pins are struck by a bowling ball, they will swing up to their horizontal positions, and the previously tensioned coil springs will swing backward and contract to sustain the pins in horizontal positions.

y.Suitable means may be provided for reset-- ting the pins. In`the present instance of the invention, this means comprises ar bar secured to the ends of the arms 25 connected by hinges 27 with the bridge bar. in operating handle 29 is connected by a hinge 3l to the bar 23, and is located preferably adjacent one end of the frame where it may be conveniently operated by the player, as more fully explained hereinafter. A coil spring 33 may have an end connected to an eye 35 on the bar 23, and an end connected to an eye 37. The construction is such that thel spring 33 tends to rock the resetting bar 23 up to its horizontal position. To limit the upward movement of the bar by the spring, suitable means may be provided, in the pres'- ent instance, in the form of a pin 39 secured to and projecting from an edge of the handle 29 and adapted to engage the rear face of the bridge bar, as will be noted in Figs. 2 and 3.

When it is desired to reset the pins, the handle 29 is grasped and rocked downward from its position shown in Fig. 3 to its position shown in Fig. 4, thereby causing the bar 23 to press against the back faces of the pins and rock the same downward to their set-up positions, where they will be held by their coil springs 15 as previously described. Then the handle 29 is rocked up to its inoperative position where the bar 23 is sustained by the coil spring To enable the frame to be packed in compact condition, the bridge bar 7 may be detachably connected to the stands l. To accomplish this, in the present instance, the ends 4l of said bar are reduced and adapted to project through slots in the stands and be secured by dowel pins 43 entered through holes in the ends 4l, as will be noted in Fig. 7. To further contribute to the compact condition of the apparatus, the coil spring 33 may be released from the eye 35 connecting the same to the bar 23, thereby allowing the bar 23 to rock down and renia-in in the plane of the bridge bar 7, as will be noted in Figs. 5 and 6. Then the handle 29 may be rocked on its hinge down against the bar 23. When these parts are in collapsed condition as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. the end stands may be placed on or beneath the same in a suitable container for the apparatus for purposes of shipment or storage. y

An important feature of the invention relates to the provision of devices for deflecting the balls after being bowled, to the bowling stations of the plavers at the inner ends of the pin carrying frames, in order that the balls may be bowled by the players alternately to the sets of pins without requiring the services of an attendant. To accomplish this. in the present instance. de- `flectors l5 are provided. each comprising end stands. 47 having wide feet 49 to rest en the ground, and pointed pins 51 or other suitable means to anchor the stands to the ground. A guide 53 extends between and is secured to the stands 47, and preferably this guide is given a curvature and placed at an angle such that the balls after passing the pins will strike the guide and be deiiected to the bowling station of the player at the inner end of the pin carrying frame.

The curved guides 53 may be detachably connected to the stands 47 in the same way as described with respect to the detachable connection of the bridge bar with the stands of the pin carrying frame, to facilitate packing of the defiectors in the container in conipact relation with the other parts of the apparatus.

The apparatus of the game may be very quickly and easily set up on the lawn. To accomplish this, the pin carrying frames are placed an appropriate distance apart to provide the required length of bowling space, and in offset or staggered relation. so that the opposed players may stand at bowling stations adjacent the inner ends of the frames and bowl the balls to the sets of pins without interference with one another. The stands l are then forced downward to drive their anchoring pins into the ground to secure the frames in position. Then the defiectors are placed back of the pin carrying frames at the proper angle to deflect the balls to the bowling stations. and the stands for the deflectors are forced downward to drive their pins into the ground to anchor the deflectors in position. Y

In playing` the game, opposed players may stand at bowling stations at the inner ends of the frames, and each player bowls balls to the set of pins on the frame adiacent the other player. rThereupon the balls strike the deliectors and are deflected to the players at the bowling stations in readiness to be bowled again. Thus, the balls are alternately bowled by the players without requiring the services of an attendant to return the balls to the players.

After each player has upset the pins of his frame. the other pla-yer while standing at his bowling station ni ay grasp the handle of the pin resetting device and set up the pins as previously described. Thus, each player may set up pins for the other without requiring the services of an attendant for this purpose.

The gaine may be played in a variety of ways. One interesting method of playing the gaine is for opposed players to take their positions at the stations at the ends of the pin frames and simultaneously commence to howl balls toward the pinfrarnes, using any predetermined number of balls, suc-li. for example. as three. Each player receives balls bowled by the other and deflected to him by the cle-Hector, and. as

rapidly as he receives balls, continues to bowl them until one of the players has npset all of the pins on the frame to which he is bowling. The player first to upset all of the pins of his frame is the winner.

Sometimes oppose-d teams may play the game. For example, each team may consist of three players. The iirst player of each team will bowl, for example, three balls, then the second member of each team will bowl three balls, and finally the third member of each team will bowl three balls. The team which first upsets all of the pins of the frame of such team is the winner.

In both ways of playing the game, time is an important consideration, and each ball. therefore, follows its predecessor in rapid succession, and where teams are playing, each member follows his predecessor in bowling balls in rapid succession.

There teams are playing, while one member of a team is bowling` another member of such team may receive the balls deflected by the deflector and pass them to the mein ber of the team bowling. This will further contribute to the reduction of the time required, and facilitate the bowling of successive balls by a player and save his energv.

The game described may be readily set up on a smooth stretch of lawn near the home where it will be convenientlyT accessible as desired, and affords a pleasant form of recreation and a healthful outdoor exercise.

It will be understood that the invention is v not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviationsmay be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is l. A bowling game comprising frames provided with sets of pins thereon and ha ing provision for supporting the frames on the floor or ground with a bowlins)` space of any desired extent between them, deflectors for location back of said frames with a lateral inclination with respect to said frames to guide and laterally deiiect the balls while still in transit te bowling stations adjacent the ends of said frames, that the balls may be alternately bowled by players standing at said stations. the frame and deflector at one end of the bowling space being separate from and independent. of the frame and detlector at the opposite end of said bowlino' space, and resetting devices for the pins operable by the players when at said stations.

2. A bowling game comprising sets of pins for location in offset relation with a bowling space of any desired extent between them, and defiectors for location back of said sets of pins with a. lateral inclination with respect thereto to gnide and laterally deflect the bowling balls while still in transit to bowling stations adjacent said sets of pins, that the balls may be alternately bow-led by players standing at said stations, the set of pins and deiector at one end of the bowling space being separate from and independent of the set of pins and detlectors at the opposite end of said bowling space.

3. A bowling game comprising a frame having stands, a bridge bar, a set of swing pins carried by said bar, a resetting bar for the pins hinged to said bridge bar and foldable into the plane of said bar, and means detachably to connect said stands with said bridge bar that said stands may be assembled in compact relation with said bridge bar and resetting bar.

4:. A bowling game comprising a frame having end stands, a bridge bar connected to said end stands, a set of swing pins, hinges connecting said pins to the lower edge of said bridge bar, coil springs connected to said pins and bridge bar and offset with respect to said hinges to hold said pins in setup and upset positions, a resetting bar, arms secured to said resetting bar, hinges connecting said arms to said bridge bar, a coil spring connected to said bridge bar and resetting bar tending to hold the latter in inoperative position, an operating handle for said resetting bar adjacent one end thereof,

and a pin secured to said handle for engagement with said bridge bar to limit the upward movement of said resetting bar under the action of its spring.

5. A bowling gaine comprising a frame having end stands, a bridge bar connected to said stands, a set of swing pins dependingI from the lower edge of said bridge bar, hinges connecting said pins to said bridge bar, coil springs connected to said pins and to said bridge bar offset from said hinges to press the upper ends of said pins against the lower edge of said bridge bar to limit the resetting movement of said pins, a resetting member having hinges connecting the same to said bridge bar, means tending to hold said resetting member in inoperative posiion, and a handle projecting transversely to said resetting member for imparting the resetting movement thereto.

6. A bowling game comprising a frame having end stands, a bridge bar connected to said stands, a set of pins depending from said bridge bar.. hinges connecting said pins to said bridge bar that said pins may be in the same plane as said bridge bar when in set-up positions. said bridge bar having a series of recesses therein adjacent edges of the pins, coil springs connected to said pins and bridge bar and having portions occupying said recesses when holding the pins in set-up positions, and a device carried by said bridge bar for resetting the pins.

7. An outdoor bowling game adapted to be set up and played on the ground or lawn,

comprising a pair of opposed independent frames, each provided with a set of swing pins thereon, said frames having provision for supporting the same on the ground with a bowling space on the ground between them, that players standing at stations adjacent ends of said frames may bowl balls to the sets of pins on the frames opposite them, and back members having provision for supporting the same` on the ground at 10 the rear of said frames and disposed to reoeive the balls after they have passed the n testimony whereof, I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

FRED P. PURD Y. 

